The International Monetary Fund has amended its 2008 German economic growth forecast following talks with the government, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Mirow said yesterday, reports AFP.

The IMF, which was set to publish its latest global growth forecasts on Wednesday, now expects the biggest European economy to expand 1.4 percent this year.

That is slightly lower than the 1.5 percent it had estimated in February but higher than a figure of 1.2 percent that had leaked out last week. “The IMF figures have fluctuated in the past days,” Mirow acknowledged during a press conference.

“We informed the IMF of our position and our arguments did not remain without effect,” he added. Berlin has said it expects the economy to grow 1.7 percent. Activity in the first quarter has been stronger than anticipated, Mirow said.

“All the numbers and the indicators” lead officials to believe that “2008 will not be as bad as all that,” he suggested.

Prospects for global growth will be discussed over the weekend in Washington at meetings of the IMF and World Bank, following talks by finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven (G7) highly industrialised countries.

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